If you’ve dealt with a cracked iPhone screen or dropped your iPhone in a toilet, you’re not alone. According to a recent survey from warranty company SquareTrade, 30 percent of iPhone users have damaged their device in the last year alone, and the cost of iPhone damage to American consumers has totalled $5.9 billion since 2007.
The study, a survey of 2,000 users, turned up a number of surprising statistics about iPhone owners, including the fact that accidental damage is 10 times more common than loss or theft. Half of iPhone users under 35 have had an accident, with the most common cause being dropped phones.
“We were astonished at how many people drop their phones in the toilet as well as how frequently an innocuous drop from the hand actually killed the device,” said SquareTrade CMO Ty Shay. Eleven percent of iPhone owners reported they are currently using a phone with a cracked screen, and 6 percent have taped their iPhone to fix it.
Better iPhone repair options from iResQ can solve problems with cracked screens and more that might result from accidental damage, so you can ditch the tape in favor of a safer and more permanent solution. While the iPhone 5 will feature a more durable aluminum case, cracked screens from dropped iPhones are likely to continue to be a problem as iPhones become even more integrated in daily life.